For the first time, Russia is becoming a budget destination thanks to Easyjet’s Moscow routes from Manchester and London. While seeing more of the country takes a lot of time and commitment, the Golden Ring is a great way to see a glimpse of traditional Russia. Made of up several traditional towns in a loop near Moscow, the ring is full of kremlins, monasteries and beautiful buildings in varying stages of preservation, repair or decay.
I spent four months living in Yaroslavl, which serves as a good base for exploring other towns, though many closer to Moscow are easy day trips. The below photos were taken in Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Rostov Veliky and Sergiev Posad.
Old church
Ipatiev monastery
Inside the Rostov Veliky kremlin
Abandoned church walls
Church of Archangel Michael, Yaroslavl
Inside the Rostov Veliky kremlin
Traditional wooden architecture
View of monastery across the frozen Lake Nero
Frescoes
Inside Ipatiev monastery
Rostov Veliky skyline
Yaroslavl’s assumption cathderal
Traditional dacha
Inside the Sergiev Posad kremlin
Walls of Spasso-Yakovlevsky monastery
Ipatiev monastery
Alexander Nevsky chapel
Inside Ipatiev monastery
Yaroslavl assumption cathedral
Rostov Veilky kremlin